Investing.com - Consumer price inflation in the U.K. slowed to the lowest level since October 2009 last month, official data showed on Tuesday.
In a report, the U.K. Office for National Statistics said the rate of consumer price inflation slowed to 1.7% in February, in line with expectations, down from 1.9% in January.
Month-over-month, consumer price inflation increased by 0.5% in February, in line with estimates.
Core CPI, which excludes food, energy, alcohol, and tobacco costs rose by a seasonally adjusted 1.7% last month, up from 1.6% in January. Analysts had expected core prices to hold steady at 1.6% last month.
The retail price index increased 2.7% in February, down from 2.8% in the preceding month and beating expectations for 2.6%.
The data also showed that the house prices index climbed 6.8% in January, above forecasts for a 5.9% gain and accelerating from a 5.5% increase in December.
Following the release of that data, the pound turned higher against the U.S. dollar, with GBP/USD adding 0.04% to trade at 1.6505, compared to 1.6484 ahead of the data.
Meanwhile, European stock markets remained higher. London’s FTSE 100 climbed 1.1%, the DJ Euro Stoxx 50 rose 1.05%, France’s CAC 40 tacked on 1.1%, while Germany's DAX rallied 1.1%.